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Record #4488

Name :: : William Douglas GREGORY (1892 - )
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 7 Jul 1892
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: :

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lancashire, Manchester

Miles Platting

Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 26 Mar 1909
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Canada
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : National Childrens Home

NotesParents: Emily Ellam Carter and Richard Gregory, married in Manchester, England, in 1881.

In 1891, the family resided at 1 Maudala St., Miles Platting, Manchester. Children: Jane, Jessie, Annie, Richard, Elizabeth, William, John and Walter.

In 1901, William Gregory, 8 years of age, was shown residing at 1 Magdala Street, Newton, North Mancester, Lancashire, England. Other family members included: Annie Gregory, 15; Elizabeth Gregory, 10; Emily Gregory, 42; Jane Ann Gregory, 18, piecer in woollen room; Jessie Gregory, 16, thristle winder cotton mill; John Gregory, 6; Richard Gregory, 49, bottler (brewery); Richard Gregory, 13; Walter Gregory, 3. (Source: 1901 Census of England; Class: RG13; Piece: 3760; Folio: 114; Page: 10.)

William Douglas Gregory was placed at the National Childrens Home in Edgworth, Lancashire, England in 1902, after he left home at a very young age because of his abusive father. The home was located in the north west of England and was built on the moors. At Edgworth, the children were taught farming. His father then died of chronic bronchitis, leaving his mother with 8 children.

In 1909, William Gregory, 16, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in a group of 64 children from the National Childrens Home en route to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

A letter from William's mother to Mr. Hills in 1910 states she still did not have much money. Her daughters were not working very much.

In 1911, William Gregory, 19, was shown as a boarder with Julia Aple at 455 Ontario, Stratford, Ontario, Canada. His date of birth was shown as January 1892 and his immigration year from England as 1911.

William Gregory went to work on the Burlington Bridge. His application form for this job asked for work experience and he wrote:

"...from April 1909 until 1912 I worked on a farm. I worked for F.L. Culver for two years at Waterford. I worked for T.D. Harrison for one year at Stoney Creek."

William seemed to be close to Mr. and Mrs. Hills at Dr. Stephenson's home in Hamilton, Ontario (Mr. Hill was the governor of Dr. Stephanson's home in Hamilton). William lent his friend Charle Vokes $250.00 with an agreement to pay back as soon as Charle got that large sum of money he was waiting for. Mr. Hills checked this agreement. Charlie never did pay back all the money.

In 1914 (when William was 21 years of age), he wrote to Mr. Hill that he had his own bank account and asked that Mr. Hill deposit the money he has earned into his account. He made $20.00 a month at this time.

On August 29, 1915, William wrote to Mr. Hills from Saskatchewan. He talked about going to Winnipeg for the winter but changed his mind and came back to Hamilton.

"Aug 29, 1915
Dear Mr. Hills:

We have settled at last after a lot of trouble and adventure. The farmers have more men than they require. We had to walk twenty miles
for this job. The wages are poor, we get 2.50 a day. I will take your
offer and be back for Nov 1. I will write you later.

Remain yours
Respectfully,
W. Gregory

William's next job in Saskatchewan was 3.50 a day. He wrote to Mr. Hill, "Money is here." William received .50 more than the other fellows because he had the job of spike pitching.

On February 9, 1916, at Burlington, Halton, Ontario, Canada, a marriage was registered between William Douglas Gregory, 22, munition worker, born Manchester, England, to Richard Gregory and Emily Carter; and Winnifred Mary Ellen Andrews, 27, born Portsmouth, England, to William Charles Andrews and Millicent Albertina Andrews.

Winifred Mary Ellen Andrews was placed in Muellers Orphanage in Bristol after her parents died. She was orphaned at a very early age, along with her half-brother Arthur. She came to work "in service" at the age of 21 on the ship Victorian which arrived at Quebec, Canada, on May 20, 1910. She arrived in a group of 25 young persons. Her half-brother, Arthur, fought in World War I in the 2nd Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, stationed at Poona, India. He wrote her a poignant letter in 1914:

"...I am very likely to get killed in Getwin?, and then you will be all by yourself. I know you would miss me, but I am sure you would be brave, because you would know that I was safe from all further trouble.

Another thing is this. You would like your Brother to be a man and die like one. You would despise me if you had a coward for a Brother. I am sure you would not like to live and have to know that I was mean enough to live and be a disgrace. I want you to bear in mind Winnie, that I am going to try and show that a God fearing man can do his duty and die like a Soldier and a man. I may come back and if I do you will find your Brother will not disgrace the name you own. ..."

Arthur was captured at Kut al Amara in 1916, where it is presumed he died. Winifred never heard from him again.

On March 16, 1916, at Burlington, Ontario, Canada, William Gregory, 22, enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces (Service No. 663538). He declared that he resided in Burlington, Ontario, Canada; that he was born in Manchester, England; that his next of kin was his wife, Winnie Gregory, who resided at Burlington, Ontario, Canada; that his date of birth was July 7, 1892; and that he was a machinist. He was described as 5 foot 8-1/2 inches in height; fair complexion; blue eyes; light hair. He was a member of the Baptist faith.

ContributorsCreated : 2008-10-29 16:45:30 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-01-24 10:28:34 /

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Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 30 Entries

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 479 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
3033	ABBOTT, Frederick	1893	ENG, SRY, Kingston Upon Thames	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
3165	ADAM, Charles	1899	ENG,	Mar 1913 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
23725	ADAMS, Lilian	1887	ENG,	Nov 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
22768	ADAMSON, Jeanie	1891	ENG,	Sep 1905 : Canada	CAN	Louisa Birt
17047	ADCOCK, William	1892	ENG, NTT, Rolleston	Oct 1907 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
9832	ADKINS, Proctor Selby	1894	ENG,	Mar 1910 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
6798	AINSLIE, Daisy Ann	1890	ENG, HAM, Portsmouth	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26133	ALDRIDGE, B	1895	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26134	ALDRIDGE, H	1894	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26031	ALEXANDER, Henry	1894	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26030	ALEXANDER, T	1895	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26007	ALLAN, M	1886	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
13096	ALLEN, Ernest John	1894	WAL, GLA, Pontypridd	Aug 1909 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
2735	ALLEN, Harry Edward	1898	ENG, LAN	Jul 1908 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
9112	ALLISON, John Henry	1897	ENG, KEN, Sidcup	Mar 1910 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home	soutsc
11504	ALLPORT, William Thomas	1907	ENG, , Shrewsbury	May 1923 : Canada		Waifs & Strays	ynaught
22783	ANDERSON, Francis L	1909	ENG,	Jun 1923 : Canada	CAN	Waifs & Strays
17075	ANDRES, J.	1893	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
13834	ANTWIS, Robert Luchesi	1891	WAL, PEM, Haverfordwest	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
9233	ANTWIS, Sidney Walter John	1893	WAL, PEM, Pembroke Dock	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
8614	ARGENT, Joseph	1892	ENG, YKS, Sheffield	Mar 1909 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home	Lyn 8
26029	ASHBY, W E	1893	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
23814	ASHDOWN, W	1887	ENG,	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
9732	ASHMORE, Amelia	1895	ENG,	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
23821	ASHMORE, Mary E	1897	ENG,	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
23836	ATKINS, Alice M	1897	ENG,	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
16734	ATKINSON, Robert	1889	ENG, WES, Kendal	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
5501	BABB, Frederick	1896	ENG, SOM, Axbridge	Oct 1905 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26109	BAKER, A G	1887	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26183	BAKER, Albert	1892	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 479 Entries

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 30 Entries

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